County Commissioner Facing Felony Charge Continues Lawsuit

A county commissioner under investigation for having a weapon on school grounds will not drop her case alleging that the school board unfairly barred her from school property.

After she allegedly carried a gun in her purse into a county school board work session, Barbara Sturgeon was sent a letter from Superintendent Looney that prohibited her from stepping on school grounds while the criminal case was under investigation. The letter said that Sturgeon would need written consent from Looney in order to be allowed on school grounds.

Sturgeon complained that being barred from school grounds would keep her from meetings that she needed to attend, and filed a lawsuit against the school board, saying that she was unfairly barred from district property.

Looney recently sent Sturgeon another letter lifting the ban, but Sturgeon took the move as an insult and will move ahead with her case against the school board.

Sturgeon was charged with carrying a weapon onto school grounds around early December of last year, and has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Her next court date is set for May 4.

The school board has passed a resolution to spend $30,000 on outside legal fees to fight Sturgeon’s case against the board.

“The legal process will run its course, and I look forward to the matter being resolved in our favor,” Looney said.